Installed Thermal Shades and eliminated "backstabbers"

MVA · 06-25-2021, 05:23 PM

I was tired of waking up cold in the middle of the night feeling the cold draft blowing around the pleated blinds. We have reflectix panels to put over the windows when we know that it will be cold, but that 1) is annoying to put up and take down every day, 2) sometimes it gets colder than expected especially with large temperature swings in the western US, and 3) need to be stored in a convenient place when not in the windows.

The pleated blind tensioners, aka "backstabbers", can be a pain (quite literally) and in the way (recently broke one while putting sheets on the bed).

Here are a couple of pictures of insulted shades that I made and installed that eliminated the need for blind tensioners and storage of reflectix window panel inserts.

The shades hold to the bottom of the window frame via magnets sewn to the back of the shades and double sided taped to the bottom of the window frame using VHB tape left over from a solar panel install. The magnets pull enough to hold the blinds to the window but are easily separated to allow the shades to be pulled to the side.
There are new sew options for those that don't sew.

The shades are made from a product called WarmWindow.
https://warmcompany.com/product/warm...-15-yard-bolt/

Curtain tracks are from IKEA.
https://www.ikea.com/us/en/p/framfus...hite-00489528/

Fabric was chosen from my stash.

An added benefit is that the new blinds block much more light - no more shadow shows visible from outside when lights are on in the trailer.

- Kathy

cpaharley2008 · 06-25-2021, 05:41 PM

Great idea.....

Eggscape · 06-25-2021, 06:33 PM

Nice custom look with function.

brroberts · 06-25-2021, 07:06 PM

That to me is a good idea. I’d like to see / have more specific details in the fabrication if you have them, and info on how you mounted the rods.

HABBERDABBER · 06-25-2021, 07:25 PM

Stellar fabrication!
Black out curtains, just like during the WWII "Blitz". We just put some up in our bedroom. Being a sensitive, "New Age" guy, the light is what wakes me up; these days, before I want to be up and about. Good idea and execution.

And your thermal issues are gone, gone. Bravo!

ghosthunter · 06-25-2021, 07:56 PM

When we bought our 15 B a previous owner had done the same thing. Only ours roll up from bottom held by Velcro straps. My wife loves them.

Centex · 06-25-2021, 09:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Eggscape

Nice custom look with function.

I second that opinion, nice work, Kathy!

MVA · 06-25-2021, 09:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by brroberts

That to me is a good idea. I’d like to see / have more specific details in the fabrication if you have them, and info on how you mounted the rods.

Send me a PM and I can give more details.

MVA · 06-25-2021, 09:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ghosthunter

When we bought our 15 B a previous owner had done the same thing. Only ours roll up from bottom held by Velcro straps. My wife loves them.

Very nice. How are the shades held at the bottom of the window?

Keith3 · 06-25-2021, 10:18 PM

Looks like a classic airstream.

And I mean that as a compliment.

Bobbie54 · 06-25-2021, 10:19 PM

Nice! I have warm window quilts in my guest room windows but just stuck on with Velcro. I'll check those out.

kathytony1985 · 06-26-2021, 06:40 AM

How did you attach the curtain rods?

MVA · 06-26-2021, 09:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kathytony1985

How did you attach the curtain rods?

Each curtain track is held by clips which are screwed into the existing nailing strip that the bottom of the over-head cabinet is attached to. To locate the nailing strip, look at the underside of the overhead cabinets and note the line of button covers. These covers easily pry off to expose screw heads through the bottom of the cabinet into this nailing strip. This is also the same nailing strip that the existing pleated shades and valance are screwed into.

Removing the existing pleated shades left some holes with rough edges through the plywood bottom of the OH cabinet that were visible after hanging the curtain tracks. I used an X-acto knife to cut the plywood fragments and wood filler to fill the holes.

kathytony1985 · 06-26-2021, 09:15 AM

Thank you! This makes me feel better about doing this MOD using existing holes.

MVA · 06-26-2021, 09:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kathytony1985

Thank you! This makes me feel better about doing this MOD using existing holes.

Sorry, didn't mean to indicate that you use existing holes. Installing the new curtain tracks will require new holes into an existing wood nailing strip.